Making your wedding unique is one of the many exciting challenges of planning your special day. Take on the challenge by incorporating family heirlooms into your wedding, making your wedding day unique to you and your fiancé. Here are five of the best ways to personalize your wedding using things you already have.

Use parts of your mother’s wedding dress in your own

Many vintage dresses have beautiful lace detailing that can be used to create a belt or a headpiece to pair with your wedding dress. Ask your mother or grandmother if you can use a piece of lace from their gowns to incorporate into your own. Creative seamstresses can find ways to do this. Also, you can contact design company, LeFlowers, on etsy.com for a custom look.

If you want to do something a little bit different, use the lace from the vintage dress to make a necklace. Create a fabric statement necklace with lace and ribbon. For a subtler look, jewelry design company greengrassgifts on etsy.com will create handmade pendants with lace that you send them.

Wear family jewelry

Wear jewelry that has been passed down through the generations. Borrow the earrings or the necklace that your mother wore on her wedding day. You can even borrow from an aunt or your grandmother. Combining pieces from different generations is a thoughtful way to honor your family and add interest to your outfit. Vintage inspired jewelry is an increasingly popular trend. Why not use actual vintage pieces?

Get creative with your ceremony

Consider including antique furniture that has been in the family for years when decorating your venue. Antique chairs, benches, vases, and dressers are great for decorating the area where your ceremony will be taking place. This tip is particularly helpful for outdoor weddings. Bringing the indoors out is one way to make an outdoor space feel cozy and intimate.

Props and accessories add personality to your ceremony. Take meaningful items and antiques that your family members have given to you over the years and place them around the venue. According to Erica Rutan-Diverio, owner and creative director of Rustic Charm – Vintage Styled Events & Rentals in New Jersey, making an event personal is all about zeroing in on the personality of the couple to be wed. “If I had to choose one prop that meant a lot to me – it’d have to be the bible my mom (and co-founder of Rustic Charm) uncovered for our big day. This tattered bible from the 1500s made for a sentimental and perfect piece for our ring bearer, my nephew, to carry down the aisle. We wrapped it in twine as the binding had come loose over time and added a few pieces of grain — while it held a stylistic element, it also held so much meaning to both my husband and me as we exchanged our vows.”

Including items given to you by family members adds meaning to your wedding decor.

A bouquet tribute

For your bridal bouquet, choose flowers that have been used in previous weddings in your family’s history. For the rest of your wedding, choose whichever flowers you want. Your bridal bouquet can include the “family flowers” in addition to what you’ve selected as a tribute to the past, present, and the future.

Decorate with family photos

Collect photos from your and your fiancé’s family members. Include wedding photos from parents, grandparents, and even siblings. Include one of your engagement photos as well. Gather mason jars and insert the photos into the jars. Display them around flower arrangements on table settings. This is a great conversation piece for guests.

You can also set up a table in the back of the reception area with old and new family wedding photos displayed. Scavenge for old frames at a local thrift shop. Paint them to match your color scheme and place the family photos inside. This is a beautiful and simple way to honor the union of your families.